I thrive on routine, and exercise is one of my top priorities when sorting my routine. Most days, you could catch me in the Barnard Fitness Center in between classes. Normally, I schedule my days around my workouts–it is my primary stress reliever, an activity I can rely on to make me feel strong and motivated. Now, of course, things are different.
When COVID-19 hit, and the gyms and studios closed for safety measures, I felt lost without my routine. I would miss feeding off the energy and motivation of those surrounding me in the gym or in workout classes.
Initially, I was scared I wouldn’t be able to perform as well doing at-home workouts, that I wouldn’t find the motivation to even start them, that I wouldn’t feel comfortable in my routine. But after trying a variety of at-home workouts, I have compiled a list of my favorite ways to keep me active, keep me sweating, keep my glutes working, keep me on a schedule, and most importantly, keep me feeling strong and productive during these uncertain times. Click on the links below to get workin’!
- Instagram Influencers
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While my normal gym routine consists of a variety of strength-based workouts from fitness influencers on Instagram, now more than ever, they provide some of the most important fitness content. They have altered their workouts so followers can use minimal equipment while at home. Some of my favorite fitness influencers are @ashleybarron.fitness, @alexricee, and @marillewellyn. They provide body-weight, band, and light-dumbbell workout options. These women will keep your glutes workin’, your core strong, and will help make your muscles sore the next morning.
- YouTube Videos
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I like adding variety to my workouts, and YouTube is the perfect forum to find a variation of at-home workouts. Depending on my workout schedule, I like fitting in fun cardio sessions to keep my heart rate up, yoga classes to make me feel ~zen~ and get a good stretch in, and pilates sessions to help me stay ~lean~ and ~toned~. Some of my favorite channels I have found over the years are POPSUGAR Fitness, GiveMe10Fitness, LifeTime Fitness (my gym at home!), and Yoga With Adriene. POPSUGAR Fitness especially has a wide variety of at-home/free workouts, so I would definitely check them out.
- The Outdoors
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While I normally use cardio machines to get my blood flowing and warm-up my muscles, walking and running outside has been such a productive form of movement for me during quarantine — mentally and physically. I’ve been working on my distance and pace while I run, and it’s so gratifying when I achieve a faster speed or run an extra mile. I also love to see other people, from afar of course, because it brings me a sense of normalcy and makes me feel less isolated. I use MapMyRun to track my progress while I’m running/walking!
Happy Sweating :)